Dispenser for dry materials



A. L. EOBRICK DISPENSER FOR DRYv MATERIALS Filed Aug. 5. 1931 'ATTO N595( Fatened Nev. l, i932 f PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR L. BOIBRICK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 4DisrENsEa Een DRY MATERIALS Application filed August 5, 1931. Serial No. 555,226.

This invention relates to and has for an object the provision of an improved type of dispenser for dry materials such as powdered soap, or other powdered materials, and a particular object is to provide a dispenser` embracing a holder wherein a package of soap may be supported, means on the holder for piercing and providing-an opening in thc bottom of the package thru the act of insert- .e ing the package in the holder, a dispensing mechanism mounted below the liolder`for receiving and dispensing materials from the package in measured quantities, and a casing v enclosing all of Said other means against un- '5 authorized access, including 1 the package, and provided withn an operating member thereon associated withthe dispensing mechf anism whereby the dispensing mechanism may be operated for dispensing the materials.

Still other objects include the provision of an opening, preferably covered by glass, formed in the front wall of the casing whereby the naine of the material on the package may be visible thru the opening; means for attaching the dispenser to a suitable supporting member in such a manner that all attachino' members, including screws or the like, will be obscure and inaccessible; arrange- 'ment ofthe device so that the package of soap therein cannot be stolen or replaced unauthorizedly; the provision of the dispenser operating means on the casing and detachable from thedispenser proper so as to pre- 5 vent any strain on the dispenser.

Still other objects may appear as the' descriptionprogresses.

In the accompanying drawing I have showna preferred form of device embodying 4 my aforesaid improvements, in which Fig. 1 isa reduced scale front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the'same on line 2-'2 of Fig. l.

, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the samebn line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4- is a fragmentary transverse e1evation of `the same on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

My improvements include brieiy a holder 1 adapted to be suitably mounted on a supporting member 2 for the purpose of sup- 50 porting a package of material 3, a dispensing mechanism 4 associated with and mounted below the holder, and a casing 5 for enclosing the package, holder and dispensin mechanism against unauthorized access, an provided with an operating member 6 for actuating the dispensing mechanism.

The holder 1 is of rectangular cross section and is suitably attached to or formed integral with a base 7 which is extended m' above and below the holder and is adapted to be attached to the supporting member 2 by means of screws 8, 8 etc. The size and configuration of the holder l conform to the size and conguration of the package 3 of mate- 65 rial adapted to be snugly seated therein with the lower end of the package restinor above. the floor 9 of the holder which has anbottom inclined at its sides relative to the base'7. As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom 9 of the holder 70 is inclined at 10, 10 on opposite sides so as to provide a space beneath the bottom of the package 3 into which material from the package which willnot readily drop into the dispenser housing can be deposited, the old v package removed, and a new package substituted therefor above the material in the holder l.

rlhe front of the holder has a plurality of perfoi ations 1'1, 11 etc., formed therein 30 above the bottom of the'package 3, which will allow the excess "soapto remain in the holder when the package is emptied but will not prevent the filling of the holder with soap. The l upper end of the holder is open so that the S5 package -3 may be inserted therein. D ry materials ofgthe character adapted to be dispensed by means of a device of this kind usually comein distinctive packages made of paper or cardboard, and in order to dispense 9o 17 respectively are integrally formed and are' bent outwardly at their lower extremities so as to overlie the floor 9 of the holder. Said feet are attached to the bottom of the holder by means of screws 18, and as shown in Fig. 4, the cutters 12 and 13 are mounted on opposite sides of the central aperture 10 in the floor 9.

Said cutters have oppositely positioned and angularly formed cutting portions 19 at.

their upper extremities which are provided with angularly disposed inclined cutting edges. The cutters are also provided with lateral cutting portions 20, 2O which are correspondingly formed and extended inwardly as shown so that the pair of portions 20, 2O of each of the cutters will overlap, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the portions 20 has an inclined cutting edge 21 which leads downwardly and inwardly from the associated cutting portion 19. When the cutters 1,2 and 13 are provided with similar cutting portions 19 and the package 3 is forced downwardly into the holder 1,- the pointed cutters 19 will pierce and cut the bottom of the package, thus forming the ends of an opening in the package. When the package is further depressed in the holder the sides of the opening in the package will be cut by the cutting edges 21 on the 'side cutting members 20, 20 etc. Thus a rectangular slot or opening will be cut in the bottom of the package as the package is forced downwardly over the cutters 12 and 13 until the bottom of the package rests upon the upper extremities 10 of the bottom 9 of the holder and the materials from the package may be discharged thru the aperture 10 into a well 22 formed at the top of the dispensing mechanism 4.

In some cases the cutting portion' 19 on one of the cutters 12 or 13 may be omitted so that the bottom of the package will be out only at one end and two sides of the opening formed therein and the further depression of the package into the holder will serve to bend the cut tab upwardly into the package.

The dispensing mechanism associated with the holder may be of any suitable character,

but I have shown a form of mechanism ofl i having' the well 22 formed therein to receive The extended end of the spindle 29 carries a pair of clutch members 33 and 34, and a clutch actuating member 35 which encompasses Ithe clutch members 33 and 34, as shown in Fig. 3. The member 35 is fixed to the clutch member 34 by means of a pin 36 or otherwise, while the clutch member 33 is formed on or fixed to the spindle 29. The' two clutch members are provided with correspondingly formed teeth 37 on their adjacent sides and are held engaged by means of a spring 38 which is mounted within the. member 35 and on the spindle 29 and is compressed between the clutch member 33 and a collar 39 which is loosely carried on thespindle and is threaded into the member 35.

The member 35 has a downwardly extended arm 40 and an upwardly extended lug 41 and is normally held in position for rotating the' dispensing element 26 for al fraction of a revolution by means of a tension spring 42, which has one end 43 attached tothe lug 41 and its other end 44 attached to alug 45 on the base 7. I

A suitable stop arm or lug 46 may be provided on the head 3'1 for limiting the retrac tive movement of the member 35. The housing 23 of the dispenser is provided with a downwardly and forwardly inclined spout 47 with a passage 48 r'therein in communicationwith the well 22 and the pockets 27 of the dispensing element 26. Thus, as the dispensing element 26 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, asv seen in Fig. 4, the material from the package is delivered thru the opening 10 in the bottom of the holder to the well 22, and thence from the well 22 to the pockets 27 of the dis ensi-ng element, from which they are disc arged into and from -the passage 48 inlthe spout 47 for use.

The casing 5 is su'fliciently 'large to enclose the dispensing mechanism, the package 3 of i material, and the holder 1, and a suflicient space is provided above the package for a' suitable lock, while a sufficient space is prvided below the dispenser for the collection of any surplus material which may find its way into the bottom ofthe case from the holder.

When a package 3 is inserted in the holder the bottom ,of the package will rest upon thc upper extremities of the portions 10', 13

` of the bottom 9, thus providing a space in e the bottom of the holder below the package.

the inclined portions 10 into the chamber'22l of the dispenser. Then the oldV package is removed a new package may be substituted therefor before the contents of the holder have been exhausted. Y

The dispensing element 26 has a spring detent 49 which is suitably mounted on the bottom 9 lof the holder or the portion 24 of the dispenser, and is provided with a loop 50 which engages the successive pockets 27. Said spring thus serves as a pawl for preventing an over-movement or undermove ment of the member 26, thereby assuring the registration of the successive pockets 27 therein with the well 22.

The spring detent 49 may have an upwardly extended portion 51 which projects into the body of material within the package 3 so that at each operation of the dispenser the vibration or movement of the spring 49 will agitate the materials so as to keep vthe well 22 supplied with the material at all times.

The case 5 has a front wall 52 with an opening 53 therein which maybe covered. a sheetof glass 54 or other material suita ly held in position by a keeper 54. Thus the name or kind of materials indicated on the face of the package is readily visible thru the opening 53. -I

The bottom 55 of the case has an o ening 56 therein thru which the spout 47 o the dispenser projects, and the top 57 is provided with a lock 58 adapted to be operated by a key 59 for actuating a latch 60 which hooks over a member 6l attached to the base 7 of the holder. It will be observed that the spout 47 which projects thru the opening 56 in the bot tom of the case and the lock 58 serve to hold the case 5 in position over the holder, the package 3 and the dispensing mechanism 4 so that unauthorized access may not be had to said elements.

The heads of the screws 8 which support the holder 1 on the supporting member 2 are internally of the base7 and are alsofenclosed by the case so that the dispensing unit may not be bodily removed from the supporting member without first unlocking and removing the case. I prefer to form the base 7 with v an outwardly projecting flange 62 at its margins. The case 5 is also formed with a flange 63 which overlies the flange 62 of the base, as shown.

On the front wall of the case I provide the operating member 6 which has a plunger 64 slidable' in a suitable sleeve' 65, and said plunger is adapted to engage the arm 40 on the dispenser actuating member 35, This plun er when moved inwardly, rotates the mem r 35 in a counter-clockwise 4direction against the tension of sprin 42 for a suilicient extent to move a succee mg pocket 27I in the member 26 into position beneath the well 22, at which point the member 26l is held against further rotation by the detent 49.

When member 6 is released the tension o spring 42 will retractthe member 35 until'the lug 41 engages the member 46.#and this xretractive movement of the member 35 will also retract the member I6 into position for a suc ceeding operation. n

The housing 23 may be held on the holder 1 by means of the screws 18 or otherwise, aslmay be found convenient.

In operatlon, the package 3 of suitable `size Iand form for a particular unit is inserted in the top of the holder 1 after the case 5 has 'been unlocked and detached from the holder by an authorized person. As hereinbefore described, when the package 3 is forced down' wardly over the cutters 12 and 13 an aperture will be formed in the bottom of the package corresponding to the form and size of said cutters, thereby permitting an initial quan tity of the material from the package to fall downwardly thru the opening'lO into the well 22 of the dispensing houslng. Under such conditions the pocket 27 -of member 26,- which is immediately below the well, will be filled with the dry material, and two operations of the operating member 6fwill be required to move this particular/pocketful of material into registration withjthe passage 48 of the dispensing spout 47 for delivering this initial quantity of material for use.

The ensuing operations' of the member 6 will dispense 1a uniformland measured qualitity of material from each of the successive pockets as they are moved to and from registration with the well 22.

The visibility of the printed legend on the face of the package 3 mak'es it possible for a user, of the material to ascertain theparticular brand at all times.

An important feature of my'invention consists in adapting the holder to a particular form of package.- In other words the package may be made to fit the holder or vice versa, so as to prevent the substitution of another brand of material for that brand for which the machine is particularly adapted to be used. n

What I claim is:

LA dispenser for dry materials includ ing a holder, a dispensing mechanism associate'd therewith, and a hollow cutter associated'with the holder whereby when a package of material is .inserted in the holder an opening may be'cut in the bottom of the i package through the cutter to the dispensing mechanism.

2. Adispenser for dry materialss comprising a supporting member, a holder mounted thereon, a dispensing mechanism mounted on said holder, and a polygonal cutter with a passage therethrough also mounted on said holder for piercing and cutting an aperture in the bottom of the package of material thru the aet of inserting a package in said holder` whereby the materials ma be discharged through the center to the d1spensing mechanism.

3. A dispenser for dry" materials comprising a holder for a package of material, a cutter supported on the holder and provided with a plurality or cutting edges arranged in diierent planes and engageable with and for cutting an aperture in said package thru the act of inserting the package in the holder whereby the contents of the package may be delivered through the cutter for use. 'l

4. A dispenser for dry materials as characterized in claim 3, including a case for enclosing said package and said cutter and preventing unauthorized access to said material.

5. A dispenser for dry materials as characterized in claim 3, including a case enclosing said package and said cutter for preventing unauthorized access thereto, and` means mounted wholly on said case and engageable at will withl and for effecting a discharge of a quantity of material for use..

6. A dispenser for dry materials comprising a shallow holdercorresponding in form and size .to a particular package of materials to be dispensed, and including a bottom with,

i an outlet therein and a cutter mounted on the bottom of the holder and extended upwardly therefrom and including a plurality of inclined cutting edges to form an opening of polygonal shape in' the bottom of the package when the package is pressed downwardly into the holder on'the cutter, said cutter being formed so as to fold back the cut portions of the package awayrom the outlet in the holder whereby the material from the package may be delivered thru the cutter to said outlet.

7. A dispenser for dry materials as characterized in claim 6, including a discharge spout leading downwardly from the bottom of the holder, and a casing detachably secured to the holder against unauthorized removal and provided with an aperture in registration' with said spout thru which the materials are `discharged from the easing.

8. A dispenser for dry materials compris- I ing a holder provided with a plate attachable to a supporting member, a bottom having an opening therein, and side walls, orming with said plate a holder of the -form and size of a particular package of materials to be dispensed, a multiple edged cutter pro- :vided with a pair of spaced cutting edges hav- ARTHUR L. BOBRICK. 

